A Merseyside-based woman is fighting back against children's mental health crisis.
Jessica Trigg, from Hoylake, Wirral, established Positivity Club during lockdown after she was “alarmed” by new data which showed one in six children suffer from a mental health disorder. Wanting to make a difference, the 32-year-old wanted to emphasise to children that “they are not as alone as the illness makes them feel.”
In spite of the recent statistics, struggling with mental health while growing up is something Jessica knows too well. The Nursery Preschool Manager told the ECHO: “I have had a dream to work in children’s mental health for a long time after suffering myself. Looking back now, I feel I was going through depression and anxiety as a child and felt overwhelming guilt and the need to hide it. I was ashamed about the way I felt, so I learnt to mask it, which I feel then affected me as I grew up.
READ MORE: Couple who struggled with addiction and mental health problems find solace in sport
"As a teenager, I struggled, and the depression grew worse alongside my anxiety. It is still something I battle daily, which only gives me the passion to help others and reinforce the fact that they are not alone, as the illness makes you feel.”
Positivity Club provides a safe and inclusive space for children to play with games and activities which promote mental, physical and emotional well-being at the forefront. Since being created in October 2020, Jessica, who has 16 years of experience in preschool teaching and learning, explained the concept has really taken off “with many parents finding their children to be a lot calmer, happier and balanced after attending.”
The former Edge Hill University student added: “Every child is different and has had a unique journey from being in the womb right up until they are older. I think what is often missed is the culmination of worries and stresses and when they are not dealt with the problem can grow bigger and escalate. Teaching the basics as early as four years old can support those children to open up and talk.”
Moving forward, Jessica hopes to register as a charity and in the near future take her story to more schools to teach “mental health in a fun and interactive way.” But for now, she plans to continue offering her expertise to those who feel like waiting lists elsewhere are too long.
Jessica has four nephews with whom she is “extremely passionate about talking openly with and trying coping strategies.” Speaking more on how you should approach the topic of mental health as an adult to a child, she said: “I think an open mind towards the subject is really important. There are easy ways of introducing talking about feelings and emotions early, without putting too much pressure on the parent or the child. Teaching children that feeling sad, angry, worried or scared are not negative emotions and it’s ok to feel them. An older generation may feel stereotypes such as crying as a weakness and this needs to be challenged. I strongly believe that crying is a strength and love to teach children that mistakes are a great learning experience.”
Positivity Club is hosted in West Kirby every Saturday morning from 9am until midday, costing just £15 per child.
